interview season

Because of Jack being in the military, and thus already knowing where he matched, I limited my interviews to programs in the same geographical area. That means I only have five, and they're all in the same two-week span... which is good, because even just five is still enough to get sick and tired of them.

The basic outline for an interview day in pediatrics, I have learned, is generally as follows:

7:45 AM- Show up. Start consuming free bagels and coffee.
8-9 AM- Observe morning report.
9-10 AM- Hear a presentation (likely PowerPoint) about the program, designed to intrigue applicants and/or answer potential questions, likely repeating information given on the website.
10-11 AM- Two 30-minute interviews, where the most popular question seems to be, "So where do you see yourself, career-wise, in 10 years?"
11AM-12PM- Go on a tour of the hospital. Ignore growling stomach.
12-1 PM- Lunch. (Most common? Sandwiches. Most interesting? Indian food. Yum.) Talk to the current residents.
1-1:30 PM- Wrap-up talk, then leave.

Now, I am not stupid enough to actually type out my opinions of said programs and post them on the internet before Match Day. But I do have a favorite, yes. And I actually have a second-favorite, too.

After the interviews, the rest of the residency-application process is pretty easy. Make a rank list in February, get your answer in March. Can't wait until it's all over and I can relax (aka, freak out about something new).